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Former governor advances to runoff primary in South Carolina
March 19, 2013
Charleston, South Carolina: Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (R) continued his attempt to re-enter public service, advancing to the Republican Primary runoff in the 1st Congressional District special election. Sanford is likely to face Curtis Bostic, who was the runner-up -- although a recount is possible between Bostic and Larry Grooms (R). Elizabeth Colbert-Busch (D) easily won the Democratic primary and will face the winner of the Republican primary runoff, set to take place on April 2.
Eighteen candidates, including two Democratic candidates and 16 Republican candidates, went head to head in the primary elections. Voters were given the task of selecting which candidates were to advance as nominees to fill the seat left empty following the appointment of Tim Scott to the U.S. Senate.[1] Scott was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Gov. Nikki Haley (R) to replace Jim DeMint (R). DeMint decided to resign and head the conservative Heritage Foundation beginning in January 2013.[2]
Because no Republican candidate was able to gain the required majority of the vote, a runoff election between the two top candidates will take place on April 2, 2013.[3]
Former Gov. Mark Sanford was able to secure the largest percentage of the votes, slightly more than a third of the overall vote total, among the Republican candidates, but was unable to gain the majority required in order to win the nomination.[4] Bostic had about 13.32 percent and Grooms earned about 12.40 percent.[5]Under South Carolina election law, a recount would be necessary if the second- and third-place finishers are separated by a margin of less than 1 percent.[6]
Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, sister of Stephen Colbert, easily defeated challenger Ben Frasier in the Democratic primary for the seat.[4]
The general election is scheduled for May 7, 2013.[7] The general election race is expected to be tough for any Democrat. The Charleston-area seat has been a Republican stronghold for decades, and continues to lean Republican.[8][9] The last Democratic candidate elected was Mendel Jackson Davis in 1978.[10]
Some speculate on what effect the "increasingly rancorous Republican primary" will have on the eventual nominee heading into the May 7 general election, and whether it might be a slight advantage to Colbert-Busch.[11]
| U.S. House, South Carolina District 1 Special Democratic Primary, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
 Elizabeth Colbert-Busch |
95.9% | 15,802 | ||
| Ben Frasier | 4.1% | 682 | ||
| Total Votes | 16,484 | |||
| Source: Official results via South Carolina State Election Commission[12] | ||||
| U.S. House, South Carolina District 1 Special Republican Primary, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | ||
|
Mark Sanford |
36.9% | 19,854 | ||
| Curtis Bostic |
13.3% | 7,168 | ||
| Ric Bryant | 0.2% | 87 | ||
| Larry Grooms | 12.4% | 6,673 | ||
| Jonathan Hoffman | 0.7% | 360 | ||
| Jeff King | 0.4% | 211 | ||
| John Kuhn | 6.5% | 3,479 | ||
| Tim Larkin | 0.7% | 393 | ||
| Harry "Chip" Limehouse | 6.1% | 3,279 | ||
| Peter McCoy | 1.6% | 867 | ||
| Elizabeth Moffly | 1% | 530 | ||
| Ray Nash | 4.7% | 2,508 | ||
| Andy Patrick | 7% | 3,783 | ||
| Shawn Pinkston | 0.3% | 154 | ||
| Keith Blandford | 0.4% | 195 | ||
| Teddy Turner | 7.9% | 4,252 | ||
| Total Votes | 53,793 | |||
| Source: Official results via South Carolina State Election Commission[12] | ||||
See also
|
- South Carolina's 1st Congressional District special election, 2013
- Tim Scott
- South Carolina elections, 2013
- United States House of Representatives
- South Carolina's 1st Congressional District
- United States House of Representatives elections in South Carolina, 2012
Footnotes
- ↑ The Republic, "Sanford's hopes of a political comeback rest with voters this week" accessed March 17, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Gov. Nikki Haley to fill DeMint’s seat by appointment," December 6, 2012
- ↑ NCSL "Primary Runoffs" accessed March 17, 2013
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 SC Votes, "March 19, 2013 Primary Special Election" accessed March 19, 2013
- ↑ Reuters, "Sanford advances in South Carolina primary for House seat: TV" accessed March 19, 2013
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedpolitico - ↑ South Carolina Republican Party Website, "1st Congressional Special Election details set," accessed January 3, 2013
- ↑ MSNBC "Elizabeth Colbert Busch wedged in crowded special election race" accessed March 17, 2013
- ↑ Salon.com, "Ted Turner’s son vying in SC congressional primary," January 23, 2013
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "Davis, Medel Jackson, (1942-2007)," accessed January 28, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Mark Sanford advances to runoff" accessed March 19, 2013
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 SC Votes "March 19 Special Primary Election" accessed April 30, 2013 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "primary" defined multiple times with different content
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